Box Score

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Cardinal baseball team had waited more than a month to host its 2018 home opener, and finally kicked off the action at Fishbaugh Field this season with a lopsided 17-3 victory over DePauw University.

Otterbein, collecting a season-high 22 hits on the day, improves to 11-6 overall and win its home opener for the fourth-straight season what was a damp and overcast day.

The Tigers (2-9) crossed an unearned run in their first at-bat, but Otterbein wasted no time taking charge shortly after by posting five runs in the bottom of the inning. The first three Cardinals all hit safely, with a single from Tyler Thompson sandwiched around a pair of doubles from Ben Beachy and Luke Barber.

DePauw shrunk the gap to 5-2 in the third inning before Otterbein busted things open in the fifth, delivering another five-run frame as the opposition used three pitchers in the sequence. The Cards emptied the bench in their later innings as multiple players saw the opportunity to compete, including a grand slam from freshman Travis Grim to left field in the eighth.

Beachy had himself a standout day offensively, hitting a perfect 5 for 5 at the plate with two doubles, a triple and a walk in his sixth appearance. Barber drove in four runs himself as six different players had multi-hit games.

Senior John Kopicky earned his first win on the hill, allowing just one earned run over five innings before the Cardinal bullpen took over. Freshman Brad Calhoun struck out the side in the ninth, all swinging, to officially shut the door.

Otterbein is scheduled to continue its week on Wednesday with an early-evening game (5 p.m.) at nearby Denison before a home conference doubleheader Friday afternoon against Muskingum.